How to Print Labels from a CSV File
You have a CSV with names, addresses, SKUs, or barcodes. You need each row printed as a unique label. Here's how to do it in under 5 minutes — free, in your browser, no software to install.
What CSV Formats Work?
OpenLabelMaker accepts any standard CSV file. It also handles TSV (tab-separated), Excel (.xlsx, .xls), ODS, and Google Sheets URLs. Here's what a typical CSV looks like:
The first row becomes column headers. These headers become the field names you use in your label design — {{name}}, {{address}}, {{sku}}, etc.
Step-by-Step Guide
Prepare Your CSV
Open your data in Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet app. Make sure the first row has clear column headers. Export as CSV (File → Save As → CSV). Or use the CSV you already have.
💡 Tips for clean CSV imports:
- • Use simple column headers (no special characters):
namenotCustomer Name (Primary) - • Remove empty rows at the bottom of your spreadsheet
- • For barcodes, ensure values are clean numbers or alphanumeric codes
- • UTF-8 encoding works best (default for most tools)
Open the Editor & Pick a Label Size
Go to openlabelmaker.com/editor. Click the label size button and select your format:
Design Your Label with {{Placeholders}}
Add text elements to your label and type your CSV column names wrapped in double curly braces. Each placeholder gets replaced with real data from your CSV.
Example label design:
Barcodes and QR codes also support {{field}} values — set the barcode data to {{sku}} and each label gets a unique barcode.
Import Your CSV
Click the 📊 Batch button in the toolbar. In the import modal:
- Select the Upload tab
- Drag your CSV file into the drop zone (or click to browse)
- Your columns appear instantly — auto-matched to
{{fields}}in your design - Check for warnings (unmatched fields, empty values) and fix if needed
Also works with: Excel (.xlsx), Google Sheets URLs, copy-paste from any spreadsheet, and manual entry. CSV is just the most common.
Preview & Print
After importing, you'll see:
- • Live preview on canvas — row 1 data fills your label design in real time
- • Data table — all rows with matched field values
- • Summary — "✅ 247 labels · 4 fields matched · 12 pages"
Click Export to open the export modal with full preview:
- • Sheet labels (Avery, HERMA): paginated A4/Letter view with labels in grid positions
- • Printer labels (DYMO, Zebra): scrollable strip, one label per page in the PDF
CSV Label Printing: OpenLabelMaker vs Desktop Software
| Feature | OpenLabelMaker | Word Mail Merge | DYMO Connect | BarTender |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSV import | ✓ Drag & drop | ✓ Via wizard | Limited | ✓ |
| Excel import | ✓ .xlsx, .xls | ✓ | Limited | ✓ |
| Google Sheets | ✓ Paste URL | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Barcodes per row | ✓ 7 formats | ✗ (needs add-in) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Label printer support | All brands | Sheet only | DYMO only | All brands |
| Price | Free | $150+ (Office) | Free | $495+ |
| Platform | Any browser | Win/Mac | Win/Mac | Windows only |
| Account required | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Where Does Your CSV Come From?
OpenLabelMaker handles CSV files from any source. Here are the most common ones:
📊 Excel / Google Sheets
Export as CSV, or upload .xlsx directly, or paste a Google Sheets URL.
🛒 Shopify Orders
Export orders as CSV from Shopify admin. Columns: name, address, city, zip, etc.
🛍️ WooCommerce Orders
Use a WooCommerce CSV export plugin. Same column structure as any other order CSV.
📦 Bol.com / Amazon
Export order lists as CSV from seller dashboards. Map columns to label fields.
📋 Inventory Systems
Any system that exports CSV: Airtable, Notion, QuickBooks, inFlow, Sortly.
👥 Contact Lists
Gmail, Outlook, Mailchimp, HubSpot — all export contacts as CSV.
Sample CSV Files
Copy any of these examples into a text file, save as .csv, and upload to the editor to test.
📮 Address labels
📊 Inventory barcode labels
🏷️ Name badge labels
FAQ
How many rows can my CSV have?
There's no hard limit. Most users import 50–5,000 rows. Very large files (10,000+) work but the PDF generation takes longer since it's all happening in your browser.
My CSV has more columns than I need. Is that okay?
Yes. Only columns that match {{field}} placeholders in your design are used. Extra columns are ignored. You'll see a warning showing which columns weren't matched.
Can I use a CSV with barcodes?
Absolutely. Add a barcode element to your label and set its value to {{column_name}}. Each label gets a unique barcode from that column. Works with Code 128, EAN-13, UPC-A, and more.
Does my data get uploaded to a server?
No. Everything runs locally in your browser. Your CSV data never leaves your computer. OpenLabelMaker is 100% client-side — no accounts, no cloud, no uploads.
Can I save my design and re-use it with a different CSV?
Yes. Save your label design as an .olm.json file. Next time, load it, import a new CSV with the same column headers, and print. Your design template stays the same — only the data changes.